The Votes Are in. Is Your Brand on Top?

It may be an election year, but every day is Election Day in the world of consumer goods marketing. Every day, we the American people cast our vote each time we purchase a product. We cast our vote as consumers for our favorite brands. We choose the winners and the losers daily. Consumers, like voters, want to feel good about the brands they endorse. This was the theme of Marc Pritchard’s presentation. He provided some vital information regarding the successes and a few mistakes that Proctor & Gamble has made over the brand’s lifetime. However, the common theme throughout his presentation was that brands shouldn’t be afraid to show their human side and this simple truth can make the difference between a win and a loss at the polls.

As consumers, we make decisions, often times from a very emotional place and that was the influence behind the P&G “Official sponsor of moms” Olympic campaign. The company leveraged this theme by communicating the message that being a mom is “the hardest job and the best job.” This campaign humanized P&G; advertising was created featuring daughters with their mothers showcasing athletes Shawn Johnson, Gabby Douglas, and Jordan Wieber with their moms.

Marc emphasized that brands must earn your vote by proving they understand your needs and wants. That is why P&G sent researchers into the homes of consumers to find out what parents really need from their Pamper diapers. It wasn’t how well it withstands hours on a crawling baby, but rather how dry it stays during the night. P&G quickly learned that what parents need perhaps more than anything is a baby that sleeps well. From there they went on to craft a product that met that need. A marketing campaign was developed with the tagline, “Peaceful nights. Playful days.” The campaign spoke directly to parents who understand the importance of a well-rested child.

Throughout his speech, Marc did an excellent job of providing insights into not only what P&G does to reach people, but why every single purchase we make as consumers is casting a vote. The key takeaway was that consumer insight + creativity is the key to winning at the polls.